SPECTROSCOPIC AND THERMAL ANALYSIS OF

COMPOSTING DURING AGITATED PILE AND ROTARY

DRUM COMPOSTING

ABSTRACT

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has infested vast wetlands, and has caused major problems in the region viz. reducing fish population, blocking irrigation canals and averting navigation, damaging rice fields, eutrophication etc. Composting can be one of the suitable options for management and disposal of this free floating weed, as the process is ecologically sound and economically viable, and helps in reducing large quantities of organic wastes. Chemical analyses used in previous studies to determine the quality and stability of compost is time consuming and unreliable. Therefore, the aim of this study is to employ modern spectroscopic and thermal analyses during agitated pile and rotary drum composting of water hyacinth and its different waste combinations with cattle manure and sawdust. During phase 1 of the project, samples were prepared by pile and drum composting techniques. In phase 2, spectroscopic and thermal analysis of these collected samples will be done.

COMPOSTING

MATERIAL FLOW FOR CONVENTIONAL COMPOSTING PROCESS

C, N, Inorganic, Pathogens,

Weed seeds, Microbes

MixingComposti

ng Process

Curing

Humic substances,

Inorganic micro-organisms

PHASES IN COMPOSTING PROCESSLatent phase

• Time necessary for microorganisms to colonize in new environment

Growth phase

• Rise of biologically produced temperature to mesophilic level

Thermophili

c phase

• Temperature rises to highest level

Maturation phase

• Temperature decreases to mesophlilic and, consequently ambient levels

PATTERNS OF TEMPERATURE AND

MICROBIAL GROWTH DURING COMPOSTING

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Nutrient balance• Organisms involved in

stabilization of organic matter utilize about 30 parts of C for each part of N

Particle size• Particle size of composting

materials should be as small as possible so as to allow for efficient aeration

Moisture control• Optimum moisture content is

known to be between 50-60%

Aeration requirement• Necessary to ensure that oxygen

is supplied throughout the mass and aerobic activity is maintained

Temperature• Optimum temperature varies for

different feedstocks or materials. However, most data indicate it to be between 50-600C

TYPES OF COMPOSTING

Composting

Open Process

Agitated Pile (Windrow)

Static Pile / Aerated Pile

Reactor Process

Vertical Flow Horizontal/Inclined

Non-flow (Batch)

WINDROW COMPOSTING

AERATED STATIC PILE

ROTARY DRUM COMPOSTER

WATER HYACINTH

Click icon to add picture

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

Considered to be world’s worst aquatic plants

Ability to reproduce exponentially interferes with agricultural and infrastructural projects

Can present many problems for fishermen

Blamed for reduction of biodiversity

Low oxygen conditions create breading conditions for mosquito vectors of malaria, encephalitis and filariasis

POTENTIAL UTILIZATION

As a phytoremediation agent• Ability to grow in heavily polluted water together with its

capacity for metal ion accumulation makes it suitable for treating wastewatersPower alcohol production

• Relatively high content of hemicellulose indicates it could be a good source of hemicellulose for bioconversion

Biogas production• Possibility of converting water hyacinth to biogas has also

emerged as an area of major interest for many years

Animal fodder/fish feed• High water and mineral content of water hyacinth indicates

that the nutrients in water hyacinth are suitable to some animals

COMPOST MATERIAL

Water Hyacint

h

Cattle Manur

e

Sawdust

WASTE COMPOSITIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Parameters and Trials

Water Hyacinth

Sawdust Cattle Manure

Trial 1 150 0 0

Trial 2 120 15 15

Trial 3 105 15 30

Trial 4 90 15 45

Trial 5 75 15 60

pH 5.79 6.155 6.65

Conductivity (dS/m)

4.91 0.389 3.31

Moisture content(%)

85.535 10.015 80.92

Volatile Solids 72.641 97.871 72.054

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Preparing Database & Report

Sampling & Analysis

Different Operating Scenarios5 trials of different waste combinations

Pile & Drum Start up and Waste Feeding

Agitated Pile and Rotary Drum compostingWaste collection and charaterization

SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Thermogravimetric Analysis

Differential Thermogravimetry

Differential scanning calorimetry

FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED

SPECTROSCOPY

Click icon to add picture

FTIR Spectra of composted olive-mill wastes at various stages of maturation

THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS

DIFFERENTIAL THERMOGRAVIMETRY

DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY

SPECTROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES IN COMPOSTING

Year

1990

1998

2003

2003

2005

2007

2009

Raw Material

Cattle manure

Pig manure

Municipal Solid Waste

Olive Mill wastes

Sewage sludge and green plant waste

Winery and Distillery residues

Olive mill residues

Spectroscopic Technique

FTIR

FTIR

Thermal analysis

FTIR

FTIR

Thermal analysis

FTIR & DSC

PHASE II

Spectrocopic and Thermal analysis of samples

Agitated Pile – Samples from day 0, 18 and 30 to be analyzed

Rotary Drum – Samples from day 0, 12 and 20 to be analyzed

5 different waste combinations will be tested

Total 30 samples to be analyzed by FTIR, TGA, DTG and DSC

500 1000 1500 3000 3500 4000

3434

29241634

1020

3405

2920

1643

1042

3430

292116391260

1035

603

Saw Dust

Cattle Manure

Water Hyacinth

Wavenumber (cm-1)

% T

ran

sm

itta

nce

REFERENCES

1. Gunnarsson, C.C., Petersen, C.M., 2007. Water hyacinths as a resource in agriculture and energy production:A literature review. Waste Management 27, 117-129.

2. Hsu, J.H., Lo, S.L., 1999. Chemical and spectroscopic analysis of organic matter transformations during composting of pig manure. Environ. Pollut. 104, 189–196.

3. Haug, R.T., 1993. The practical handbook of composting engineering. Lewis publishers.

4. Jouraiphy, A., Amir, S., El Gharous, M., Revel, J-C., Hafidi, M., 2005. Chemical and spectroscopic analysis of organic matter transformation during composting of sewage sludge and green plant waste. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation 56, 101-108.

5. Kalamdhad, A., Ali, M., Khwairakpam, M., & Kazmi, A. (2009). Organic metter transformation during rtary drum composting. Dynamic Soil, Dynamic Plant.

THANK YOU

Presentation by – Shreyas Nangalia09012227